Wrapping machine



March 23, 1954 A. RUSSVELL Em WRAPPING MACHINE l7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 3, 1951 raraurofls WWW W March 23, 1954 A. RUSSELL ETAL 2,672,717

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WRAPPING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1951 1'? Sheets-fSheet '7 Iuumv T6 R 5 March 1954 A. RUSSELL ET AL WRAPPING MACHINE 17 sheets-sheet 8 Filed April 3, 1951 March 23, 1954 A. RUSSELL ET AL 2,672,717

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March 23', 1954 A, RUSSELL ETAL 2,672,717

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1951, 17 Sheets-Sheet 11 March 23, 1954 RUSSELL ETAL 2,672,717

WRAPPqING MACHINE Filed April 5, 1951 A 17 Sheets-Sheet l2 l I N I in March 23, 1954 A. RUSSELL ET AL WRAPPING MACHINE 17 Sheds-Sheet 13 Filed April 3, 1951 March 23, 1 954 A, RUSSELL ET AL WRAPPING MACHINE l7 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed April 5, 1951 Inn/euro}; 5

March 23, 1954 A. RUSSELL ETAL 2,672,717

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1951 17 Sheets-Sheet 15 Id/ve/v-run 5 z mm mvmwr March 23, 1954 A, RUSSELL ET AL 2,672,717

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1951 17 Sheets-Sheet 1e vveAn-oks i ra /w March 23, 1954 A, RUSSELL ET AL 2,672,717

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1951 17 Sheets-Sheet l7 Patented Mar. 23, 1954 WRAPPING MACHINE Alexander Russell,

Alan Hopton, and Arthur Francis Carter, Leeds, England, assignors to The Forgrove Machinery Company Limited,

Leeds, England, a

company of Great Britain Application April 3, 1951, Serial No. 219,016

Claims priority, application Great Britain April 3, 1950 25 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a machine for wrapping loose biscuits, or other thin articles of similar shape, and has for its object to provide a machine which is readily adjustable so that it may deal with biscuits of different shapes and sizes, and with packages accommodating different numbers of biscuits.

The machine according to the invention comprises an intermittently rotating wrapping wheel mounted to turn on a a number of pockets which move in succession from a loading station to a discharge station, each pocket serving to hold a stack of biscuits and having a fixed jaw which, when the pocket is at the loading station, extends vertically and, when the pocketis at the discharge station, extends horizontally and in alignment with a fixed horizontal discharge platform, a horizontal conveyor, which is intermittently driven in timed relationship with the pocket wheel to feed the stacks of biscuits in succession into position beneath the wrapping wheel, said conveyor comprising a series of spaced pushers, for feeding the stacks of biscuits forwards, which are brought successively into alignment with the fixed jaw of that pocket of the wrapping wheel which is at the loading position, an intermittently operated elevator for lifting the stacks of biscuits successively into the pockets after they arrive at the loading station, and means for feeding wrappers in succession into the path of the elevator so that a wrapper will be carried into the pocket at the loading station by each stack of biscuits, as it is lifted, and thereby folded in U-formation about the stack of biscuits.

The machine thus has three fixed datum points, viz. the position in relation to the conveyor of each pusher, the position occupied at the loading station by the fixed jaw of each pocket of the wrapping wheel and the position of the horizontal discharge platform. Changes in the machine to suit variations in size and shape of the wrapped package are all effected by interchange or adjustment of other parts of the conveyor, of the elevator, of the wrapping wheel, of the wrapper feed mechanism and of folding devices which cooperate with the wrapping wheel and with the discharge platform to complete the folding of the wrapper around each stack of biscuits.

One embodimentof wrapping machine according to the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine,

horizontal axis and having Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan view,

Fig. 3 is a plan view, on a larger scale, showing the cam shafts,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the right hand end of the conveyor, showing the wrapping wheel and elevator,

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line VV in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the right hand end of the conveyor, showing the feeler arm,

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, looking from the lefthand side of Fig. 4, but with the wrapping wheel omitted,

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line VIII-VIII in Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is a front elevation, with the wrapping Wheel removed, showing parts which coact with the wrapping wheel to perform the Wrap,

Figs. 9A, 9B and 9C are detail views on a larger scale showing successive positions assumed by a mechanism for forming a double fold in the wrapper,

Fig. 10 is a section on the line X-X in Fig. 9,

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the wrapper feed mechanism,

Fig. 12 is a plan view, on a larger scale, of the left hand end of the mechanism shown in Fig. 11,

Fig. 13 is a section, on a still larger scale, taken on the line XIII-XIII in Fig. 12,

Fig. 14 is an enlarged side elevation, looking from the left hand side of Fig. 4, of the lower part of the wrapping wheel, showing the grippers for feeding the wrapper into position above the elevator,

Fig. 15 is a plan view of the feeler arm and its actuating gear,

Fig. 16 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow X in Fig. 15,

Fig. 17 is a front elevation of the discharge portion of the machine,

' Fig. 18 is a view similar to that of Fig. 17, but with the end sealing mechanism omitted,

Fig. 19 is a corresponding plan view,

Fig. 20 is a transverse section through the discharge portion of the machine, taken at the first sealing station,

Fig. 20A is a scrap view showing part of the end seal web, and

Figs. 21-27 are perspective views showing successive stages in the wrapping of a stack of biscuits.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures.

The machine, see Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a conveyor for feeding stacks of biscuits in succession into position above an elevator 3!, a wrapping wheel 32 to which the stacks are lifted in succession from the conveyor by the elevator, a wrapper feed; mechanism 33;;for.-fe.eding a-web of wrapper-fromiione or other of itwo reels-.34; severing a wrapper from the end of the web at each machine cycle and presenting it in position above the elevator, and discharge mechanism 35 for completing the wrappingot "the stacks of biscuits ejected fromthewrappingwheel and discharging them in successiondown a. chute 3B. The discharge mechanism also applies to each end of each wrapped package ani'ende'seal supplied from a web of end seal .materialcarried on a reel 31.

The machine is driven by anWelectrimmotOrH-SB at the rear thereof, but can also be turned manually by means of a hand-wheel 39 at the front. The motor drives, through gearing, showniii Fig. 8, a pair of main cam shafts 40, 4| (Fig. 3), each carrying a-=number ofacamswthe" functions of which Will-bgdescribed .latenz Also shown iii-Fig. 3 are the shaft 42 of the wrapping'iwheel ita shaft for drivin'gntheiconveyornsfl: and a wrap per ifeed: cam shaft-iflvdriven by. a chain drive I from the cam shaft 4|. Thescamshaftsv40, M are driven fronrathe shaftzsflzf of the:motorz%.38 through two identical gear trains, shown in Fig-.8. A gear .93rontthetshaft192rdrives, through gearing 94 and95; aegear arheeliiilfirnnthez rear? end of lathe. team 1' shaf 'e ltl ,s'andnthe :gear 93 drives, throughzgearsrsIrandiSB, asgear wheeL99: tFig: 3) on the rear end of the cam shaft 4|. ".T'Turning mownto :EigsrA-Gyzthe: conveyor .'.30 comprises four chains, viz. two outer chains. 45 andutwo inner :chainsMB. lThelainner rchains i4 6 are :driven byzsprockets '4'h QFig. filwmountedron a sleeve:48wfreepn'thershafti43:1 :Theouten'chains 45 rarerdriven'abyosprockets 349 seach not :which is fixed to. a.:sleeve';;5.0:pinned:tozthewshaft;43., Bolts ;l;:secure:the:sleeve 48 tozthe-sleeves .50sandimpart driving movement to the sleeve .48."'.iThB shaft 545; carries rGeneva'wheelafluwhich is-Zintermittentlyirotated .by as cranlcpin 53::ona1shaft 44l driven by gearing 442 from the cameshaftM. :aciMounted zonxand extending between: the .:outer chains .45, :a-ndrspaded zatrequal intervals;- are. a series of .pushersz54llrEachzofzthese is constituted by an angle plate, .the svertical-imember' s56 .of which=.bears:against:thezsrearifacei' of astack. of biscuits 55 sisee .Eig. i6) .zandesenvesmto z-feedrthe stack. forwards; rand thief-horizontal" member .51 oft-which; constitutes a; ledge. for supporting the rear end of the stack of biscuits. Similarsangle plates 58- extend :betweenrthe :two .inner; chains 46 and they are interleaved with theizpushers-ifl. The horizontal members @591; ofnthe ransle plates 58 serve as ledges for supporting the. frontyends ofthestacksiofbiscuits;whileztheiiwertical members 60 abut against the front; ends-of thestacks of -.bisouits.

Each pusher .54 ;andithe-associatedrangle plate 58 immediately. inv-front.'of.;.it,.1thus .constitute a pocket: toereceive a'stack of-biscuits 55. The-sides of. rthe poc-ket are constituted -;by alt-pain of hori: zontal side control plates 6| whichizextendzilnto s1ots.-.62.. (Eig.- .fihiinstheizanglesplates 5.4.3 5.8 :and are adjustable to accommodate .stuekszofiyarying length. Tonthiseend-.thetcontrqlplates -6 l. .have transversesslots -.6 5. (Rig. 6 rengfl ednby bolts :63 which project upwardly from fixed braokets 64 beneath'the.-'contro1-.p1ates.- :Jn Figs. 5 iandfi; the bolts 63 are shown at theinnerrends .of ;the:slots fi5.-.-and.-the control gplates are accordin lxnadiusted-r for. a.zbiscuit'zstackr:ofemaarimumelensth.

;..-plates 54, 58 as Th control plates 6| do not therefore extend into the slots 62 in the angle plates. They will, however, so extend when the control plates are moved .inwardly..to suit.a...shorter biscuit stack. .The biscuits are placedirr the pockets; so that they lie in vertical planes, edge on to the angle shown in Fig. 6. The length of the stack is used herein to designate the dimensiomtransverse to the conveyor, i. e. between the .sidetcontrol plates, Bl, the width to designate the .:.dirnension--.of.'thestack lengthwise of the coni =..veyor,..and the height v. ision :normah to designate the dimento-the conveyor. Each pocket is open at the bottom, between the ledges which support the biscuits, the opening being denoted I ,,by. thereferencevfili.

T.The spacing'o'f the side control plates GI is thus determined by the number of biscuits in the stack.-= The thickness of each biscuit may vary from time to time during a run, as the result f oriinstanca of: changeszinthe. dough mixture introduced intobthe(baking-oven. The spacing of the s-ide:controliplates fiI is therefore made such as to -sbe. consistent with the maximum expected thickness --of the .biscuits. .Shortly before each pocket reachesfthe-position; immediately beneath the wrapping wheel, its contents aretested-by a.-.-feeler .:arm 5-1,..having a 'Feshaped end, which is:moved.laterallywinto-the-,pocket as later described. .-This feelerarm-controls a trip mechanism,..also describedlater, for the wrapper feed mechanism, .andminterceptsu-the wrapper feed mechanism and interrupts .the wrapper feed if the ,pocketis-empty of biscuits. .The T-shaped end ,of--the.fe.eler .arm -6'[ serves, in cooperation with therside ,-control-..p1ate.6l opposite it, to square up the biscuits.inthepocket, in case they should have vtendedto incline from the vertical due. .toiexcessivespacing. of theside control plates.

Thepockets-servetoaccommodate biscuits of rectangu1ar,-;round .or .oval .shape, and the conveyorr30= is. of sufficient length to provide ample spaceforthehand feedingof the biscuits into the=;pockets. ..-Adjustment for variation in the width. of thestack: isobtained by slackening the bolts .5 l, rotating .the..s1eeve,48

in relation to the sleeves .55, andretightening.thebolts 51. This adjustment .is,possible.because the bolts 5! engage arcuate slots .68 infianges 59 .on the-sleeves 50, and it..serves..-.to..adjust .the. spacing between the. angleplates r54, 58 and. .thereforethe width of the biscuihreceivingpockets. InFig. 6, these pockets .are. shown. ,ad,iusted. to .the ,maximum width, theverticalmembenlill of-each angle plate 58 abutting against the vertical member of thaangleplate. 5.4-immediately in front of it. In Fig.,15,rhowever,.the pockets are shown adjusted for a stack. of biscuits. of less (width.

LThe-wvrapp'ing wheel fir-comprises a plate H1 (Figs. 4 and fiigattachedbybolts H to .a flange 'l2 on asleevef 1,3.fixed, to, the shaftl42. Integral with theplateglfl are four outstandingarms 14, eachiof v.which...carries a pocket for. receiving a stack of, biscuitsandawrappen .The shaft 42 is intermit,tently. rotated, a-c1o.ckwise direction asseenin Fig, andthrough. steps of by mechanism whichuwilhshortly be described, to bring. .the.ybockets-.inasuccession from a bottom loadingstation vAte a. folding. station B, at which a double fold is made in the wrapper, a top pressing station C.,and;a.dischargerstation D at which the partially wrappedpackage is discharged from the wrapping-wheelon toia horizontal discharge tre line of the .Wmnpinsiwheelshaft.

Each pocket of the wrapping wheel comprises a pair of jaws, namely a fixed jaw 19 and a movable jaw 11, the faces of which extend, when in the loading position, at right angles to the length of the conveyor 39 and a pair of tuckers 18 shaped to the form of biscuit to be wrapped and pivoted to the fixed jaw on axes parallel to the length of the conveyor. The fixed jaw 18 is at the left hand side of the pocket as seen from the front, when in the loading position, and the movable jaw 11 is pivoted to a pin 19 projecting from the arm 14 in a direction transverse to the conveyor 39 and a spring 39 (shown only in the case of the bottom pocket in Fig. 4) urges the jaw 11 to closed position. At the folding and top pressing stations B and C the movable jaw 11 is thus maintained by its spring 99 gripping the ends of the biscuit contained in the pocket. The jaw 11 has an extension 8|, on which is mounted a follower 82. The follower 32 coacts with a cam 83 when the pocket is at the loading station A and with a cam 84 when the pocket is at the dis charge station D, and the function of these cams will be described later.

Each tucker 18 has an extension 85 (Fig. 14) pivoted to a pin 430 (Fig. 14) projecting from the arm 14 in a direction parallel to the length of the conveyor 39, and a spring 96 tensioned between arms 81 projecting downwardly from the extensions 95 tends to hold the tuckers closed against the biscuits in the pocket. While the pocket is dwelling at the loading station a cam bar 88 (Fig. 14) is lowered, as later described, and coacts with followers 89 on the arms 91 to open the tuckers 18 to allow of the entry of a stack of biscuits into the pocket.

The intermittent drive is imparted to the wrapping wheel by the mechanism shown in Fig.

Fixed to the rear end of the wrapping wheel shaft 42 is a four-armed member 99 (see also Fig. 3) carrying a stud 9! at the end of each of its arms. A slotted driving member IEII, driven by a pair of parallel cranks H12, H33, periodically engages the studs 9! to impart the desired steplay-step movement to the shaft 42. The crank N32 is driven from a gear wheel H99 on the cam shaft ll by a gear wheel EM and imparts movements to the other crank I93 through gears I05, 596, Ml. As the cranks I92, I63 rotate anti clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 8, the slotted, member I ill is moved to the left to engage the stud 9! to the left of it. The slotted member IEII is then drawn downwardly to rotate, through the agency of the engaged stud 9|, the shaft 42 through 90. It is then retracted to the right and finally returned to the position shown in Fig. 8 ready to engage the stud 9I on the next arm of the member 99.

A cam I98 on the cam shaft Ml (see also Fig. 3) coacts with a follower I 99 to rock a bell crank lever IIil periodically about its pivot III. A notch II 2 at the end of the bell crank lever Illl engages one of the studs 9| to lock the wrapping wheel shaft 42 against rotation during its period of dwell, but the bell crank lever H is moved aside by the cam N38 to free the stud 9| engaged by the notch I I2 immediately prior to engagement of the slotted driving opposite stud 9|.

When the wrapping wheel 32 dwells, the conveyor pocket containing the leading stack of biscuits dwells beneath it, with its pusher 54 immediately below the fixed jaw 16 of the wrapping wheel pocket which is at the loading station, as shown in Fig. 4. A cut length H3 of wrapper is member IBI with the Shortly after the tuckers 18 have fed, as later described, into position between the stack of biscuits and the wrapping wheel. The elevator (N then rises, through the opening 665 in the base of the conveyor pocket, to lift the stack of biscuits and the wrapper I I3 into the pocket of the wrapping wheel.

The elevator 3| comprises a plunger II4, pivoted at M5 to a bell crank lever H6 which is, in turn, pivoted at H1. The plunger H4 is also pivoted at II8 to a link II9 pivoted at I20. The bell crank H6 is coupled, by a link I2I which is variable in length to adjust the stroke of the elevator, to a second bell crank I 22, pivoted at I23 and carrying a follower I24 coacting with a cam I29 (see also Fig. 8) on the cam shaft 40. Pivoted in scissors fashion at 43I (Fig. 5) to the lifting plunger II 4 are two grippers I 26, and a compression spring I21 acting on the lower ends of the grippers I26 urges their upper ends inwards to engage the faces of the two outermost biscuits of the stack. In the lowered position of the elevator shown in Fig. 5, followers I28 on the grippers I26 are held by fixed cam bars I29 in a position such that the grippers I26 are open. As the elevator rises, the cam bars I29 allow the grippers I26 to close to grip the stack of biscuits near its lower end. At the same time a top plunger I39, actuated by another cam I3I (see Figs. 3 and 9) descends through the wrapping wheel pocket to apply pressure to the top of the biscuit stack and the wrapper resting thereon. The top plunger I30 is projected by a spring I32 (Fig. 5) from a top plunger carrier I33 and has sufficient freedom of movement in relation to the carrier I33 to cater for variations, from minimum to maximum, in the height of the package. The top plunger carrier I33 is shaped, as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 9, to clear the jaws of wrapping wheel pocket and carries the cam bar 98 (see also Fig. 14) which is attached to the carrier I33 by screws I34 and, as the top plunger descends, opens the tuckers 18 of the wrapping wheel pocket, as already described.

The top plunger carrier I33 (see Fig. 9) is adjustably mounted, by a bolt I35 engaging a slot I36 in the carrier I33, on a member I31 pivoted at its lower end to a bell crank I 38, pivoted at I39, and at its upper end to a link Mil pivoted at MI. The bell crank I38 carries a follower M2,

coacting with the cam I3I.

After the top plunger I39 has descended on top of the stack of biscuits in the pocket of the conveyor, and the tuckers 19 of the wrapping wheel pocket have been opened, as already described, the elevator BI and top plunger I39 ascend, lifting the stack of biscuits, with the wrapper II3 folded around it in U-forination (see Fig. 21), into the pocket of the wrapping wheel. The cam bar 98 on the carrier I33 clears the tuckers :8 as the packet rises in to the wrapping wheel pocket, allowing the tuckers "ill to spring back and grip the faces of the two outermost biscuits and, at the same time, to produce first end tucks at opposite ends of the package. One of these end tucks is shown at MS in 21. closed on the package, the cam bars I29 cause the elevator grippers I26 to release their hold on the package. The cam 83 associated with the moving jaw 11, which up to this stage has been holding the jaws open allows the jaw 11 to close and support the end of the package opposite the fixed jaw 16. The wrapping wheel 32 then commences tomove, to carry the package clear of the eleva 

